Houston Slip & Fall Attorney
With over 2.3 million residents, Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States. As a major metropolitan powerhouse, it’s a center for energy, aeronautics, and much more. Every day, countless Houstonians pack the city streets to work, shop, and live life to the fullest. However, amid this whirlwind of activity, the potential for slip and fall accidents is an ever-present risk that can’t be ignored.
These types of incidents can happen virtually anywhere – grocery stores, restaurants, apartment complexes, office buildings, you name it. And when they do occur, the resulting injuries can range from minor bruises and sprains to traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord damage that leaves victims with long-term disabilities. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a slip and fall accident in Houston due to someone else’s negligence, you need an experienced Houston slip & fall attorney by your side.
Common Triggers of Slip and Fall Accidents in Houston
Slip and fall cases fall under an area of the law known as “premises liability.” This legal concept holds property owners and managers responsible for keeping their facilities reasonably safe and free of hazardous conditions. Some common examples of hazards that can lead to injurious falls include:
- Wet or slippery floors without proper warning signs
- Loose mats, torn carpets, or cracked floors
- Insufficient lighting in stairwells or walkways
- Debris, clutter, or obstacles obstructing paths
- Lack of handrails on staircases
- Potholes or uneven pavement in parking lots
At The West Law Office, our Houston slip and fall attorneys have decades of experience investigating these accidents and building strong cases for victims like you. We know the technicalities of Texas premises liability law inside and out, as well as typical defense tactics used by insurance companies to minimize payouts.
Pursuing Fair Compensation in Houston
When someone is severely injured due to a property owner’s negligence, they often face mounting medical bills, missed time from work, physical pain and suffering, and a diminished quality of life. Our slip and fall attorneys in Houston fight for your full and fair financial recovery from these losses.
This compensation can cover economic damages like:
- Emergency medical transport and hospitalization
- Follow-up doctor visits and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and diminished future earnings
- Modifications to a home or vehicle for disabilities
As well as non-economic damages such as:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional/mental anguish and distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life activities
We value client communication and will keep you informed throughout the legal process, whether negotiating an out-of-court settlement or taking your case to trial if the other side won’t be reasonable.
Who is Responsible?
It is the responsibility of each and every property owner to maintain their property in a safe condition to eliminate all chances of slip and fall accidents.
It is the duty of municipalities, or a group or individual appointed to manage the property, to maintain all sidewalks and streets in your area. if there is no sign of protruding or harmful objects, a reasonable person would not feel the need to continuously scan the sidewalk or street for an unexpected hazard. if a potential hazard is not vividly acknowledged, an individual is in great risk of injury.
It is also the property owner’s responsibility to provide all guests, visitors, or patrons with proper lighting. Without proper lighting, an individual may not be able to identify potential slip or trip accidents. in various settings, an individual must be provided with proper handrails.
The responsible party for the accident is generally the party that was negligent. In many slip and fall accidents, property owner’s do not upkeep their property and are careless in eliminating possible slip and fall risks.
File for a Slip and Fall Accident in Houston, TX
Slip and fall injuries are hard to prove, but with the consultation of experienced slip and fall accident attorney in Houston, Texas, Sue E. West, it is possible. First, there should be established liability. the property owner must acknowledge, or fail to acknowledge, that their property served as an unsafe environment that resulted in an individual’s personal injury. Disagreement arises when parties do not act as a “reasonable person.” if a reasonable, or neutral, individual would have not considered a light too dim, or a hazard not harmful, then the owner of the property is not considered to have a dangerous property.
Second, the individual must have suffered from a real and lasting injury. If you have been injured from a slip and fall accident, go to the hospital immediately. It is crucial to your case to report the accident.
Lastly, the injuries incurred by the individual must have resulted from the slip and fall accident. Frequently, an individual’s medical history will be taken into consideration when determining the degree of injury. a person suffering from back pain may be experiencing the pain for other reasons than the trip and fall accident.
Child Victims
Children can suffer horrifying injuries in a slip and fall. Texas law protects child victims, so they can sue in many cases even if they were trespassing on the property when they were injured. For example, your swimming pool or hot tub could have drawn a child onto the property. If the child slips and is hurt, you can be sued—even though the child was technically not allowed on the property.
The West Law Office has worked with many families whose children are hurt in accidents. We know how to bring these claims. The law regarding child victims is very different from the law for adults. You need an experienced attorney who can help protect your child’s rights and your family’s finances.
Why Victims Do Not Receive Full Compensation
Slip and falls cause lasting injuries. Many of our clients are struggling with head injuries, brain damage, and back injuries. Some cannot work because they cannot sit or stand for any length of time. Others have impaired memories or difficulty with speaking. These are expensive accidents.
Unfortunately, our clients sometimes fail to get the compensation they deserve. There are some common reasons.
One, they might fail to gather necessary evidence to prove fault. For example, you should get a picture of the hazard or identify witnesses who can testify that it existed. This evidence strengthens your hand in negotiations.
Two, some victims don’t properly treat their injuries. You should go to the hospital soon after the accident. If you delay, a defendant will claim you are partially to blame for your pain. And if you try to self-diagnose, then you might end up with very little compensation.
Three, the defendant might claim you were negligent yourself. Texas recognizes comparative negligence, which is called “proportionate responsibility” in Texas. You can’t sue if you are more than 50% to blame. If less, your compensation is reduced. Many victims are negligent because they were distracted by their phone while walking or they ignored cones or signs warning them of dangerous conditions. In some cases, they are barred from receiving any compensation because they are more to blame than the property owner.
Contact Our Houston Slip & Fall Attorney
Don’t wait to get the qualified legal representation you deserve. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation about your slip and fall accident in Houston. Our contingency fee model means you pay nothing upfront or out-of-pocket – we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Let our Houston slip and fall attorneys help you out!
